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A
Special Message From the Pastors
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Welcome
to our church website!
From
time-to-time we
post a special message on this page.
Sometimes the message is something we have
written, and sometimes we share something
written by others. We pray that you
will share the meaning of these messages
with others you know, both churched and
un-churched.
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Pastor
Mark Girardin
Biography
e-mail |
see
From the Pastors Archives |
Pastor
Perry Schefelker
Biography
e-mail |
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March
2, 2008
Excel In The Grace Of
Giving!
The Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians, "But Just as
you excel in everything - in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in
complete earnestness and in your love for us - see that you also
excel in this grace of giving" II
Corinthians 8:7
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This is a tall order - to excel in everything!
Paul went on to tell them how they had become recipients of
God's "grace of giving". "For you know
the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich,
yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through His
poverty might become rich" II
Corinthians 8:9
Isaiah prophesied how Jesus would become
poor, so that we could become rich. "He was led like a
lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is
silent, so He did not open His mouth." Isaiah
53:7b
Jesus
excelled in the grace of giving. He gave His life
without argument, without protest, without reluctance.
As stewards of God's givts of time and resources, we're asked
to excel in giving those gifts back to God and His
Church. Paul writes "for God loves a cheerful
giver." II
Corinthians 9:7b
Not only has God given us the gifts, He also
creates the willingness to share them with others.
"He Who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for
us all - how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give
us all things?" Paul asked in Romans 8:32.
As we ponder about Jesus' supreme sacrifice
and victorious resurrection, let us ask God to give us willing
hearts to give as willingly as He did for us.
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Trinity
Lutheran Church, 201 S Pleasant Avenue, Centralia, IL
62801 (618)532-2614, is a member congregation of the Lutheran
Church Missouri Synod with offices in St. Louis,
Missouri and seminaries in St. Louis and Ft. Wayne, Indiana.The
Synod also operates 10 colleges and universities
in the United States.
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Compliments of Illinois
Websites
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